News: 3 weeks to Women’s & Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics

Fast approaching are the Women’s and Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics and with just three weeks to go, strong lineups look to be assembling for what will be the first major events in the National Road Series for 2023.

News: 3 weeks to Women’s & Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics

FAST APPROACHING are the Women’s and Junior Men’s CiCLE Classics and with just three weeks to go strong fields look to be assembling for what will be the first major events in the National Road Series for 2023. Over 100 riders are already entered for each event which will again cover the same gruelling 105 kms course starting and finishing in the centre of Melton Mowbray.

The earlier date for the events from previous editions has prompted debate upon the nature of the course in March with no concessions given to the route which will again take in seven special (off road) sectors. Race Director Colin Clews said, “ The weather conditions between now and race day will be crucial in how the races play out, but we have confidence following the atrocious wet conditions that the international competitors faced in 2012, that the course remains fully rideable and competitive in whatever conditions“.

He added; “ We bill our races as ‘true’ Belgian classic style races, and as the weather plays such an important part in many of those races owing to their early Spring date, our competitors should expect nothing less. As always they will produce epic racing.”

With a newly secured future by sponsorship from the ANEXO Group and CAMS, the races offer the biggest prize funds within the UK Women’s and Junior Men’s race calendars with £1000 and £200 first prizes respectively. Further support of the first prizes in both races is provided by Dame Laura Kenny, whose name will once again be carried on the winner’s trophies. Whether Dame Laura will be able to attend this year’s races following the recent announcement that Dame Laura and her Olympic Champion husband Jason Kenny are expecting their second child, has not been confirmed. The race organisation extends their warmest congratulations to both Dame Laura and Jason.

The races will nevertheless have in attendance ANEXO’s brand ambassador, multiple Olympic Team pursuit champion Ed Clancy. Both events form the opening rounds of the National Road Series in 2023 for their respective categories and competition is bound to be intense as neither race has amongst their current entry any former winners. So it will be interesting to see who will follow in the wheel marks of some World Class former winners. Riders such as World Tour racer Abi Smith, World and Olympic champion Katie Archibald, track star Neah Evans and sisters Emily and Josie Nelson.

The Junior Men’s event has also had some stunning former winners like James Shaw, the winner of the first junior Classic who is now lighting up the highest level of the sport racing for a WorldTour team. Then there’s Junior world TT champion Josh Tarling who is now racing for a World Tour team (Ineos) as is Sam Watson (FDJ) who was second to Mark Cavendish in the British RR Championships.

Both races are being held over the same 105 kms course featuring many of the unique and best components of the International Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic which has been held since 2005. The latter remains Britain’s ONLY Men’s single day international road race.

Riders who have not entered either of the events, links to where to enter are below:

WOMEN: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/276576/7th-ANEXOCAMS-Womens-CiCLE-Classic

JUNIOR MEN: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/276577/9th-ANEXOCAMS-Junior-CiCLE-Classic

FORMER WINNERS

WOMEN
2016: Rebecca Durrell
2017: Katie Archibald
2018: Neah Evans
2019: Emily Nelson
2020: No event due to Covid.
2021: Abi Smith
2022: Josie Nelson

JUNIOR MEN
2014: James SHAW
2015: Nathan Draper
2016: Reece Wood
2017: William Tidball
2018: Alfred George
2019: Sam Watson
2020: No event due to Covid.
2021: Joshua Tarling
2022: Dylan Hicks